Lord locked in with Gallagher Chiefs

Exciting All Black lock Josh Lord has extended his contract with the Gallagher Chiefs and New Zealand Rugby until the end of 2026.

Standing at 2.03m, Lord is a dominant addition to any team’s second row - proven in his contributions to the All Blacks, DHL Super Rugby Pacific finalist the Gallagher Chiefs, and NPC title holders Taranaki.

Gallagher Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan said: “Josh has been an important part of our team for several seasons now, and we are ecstatic he has committed to the club for another two years. A player with his profile and skill set is pretty hard to secure, and he will no doubt play a significant role in our future aspirations.

“He has been unfortunate with injury, something not uncommon for big athletic young men, growing into their body and becoming accustomed to the physical demands of his position. But Josh has always taken setbacks in his stride, been diligent in his rehab, and we are now seeing him back fit and healthy. We are stoked to see him back with the All Blacks – we’ve got no doubt he will thrive and make his presence felt.”

Lord said: “Grateful to re-sign with the mana. They’ve shown a lot of faith in me and I look forward to repaying their faith in the next few years.”

Lord will assemble with the Gallagher Chiefs in the new year following his All Blacks duties.